Monthly Archives: January 2018

If there is one thing the ELD mandate was designed to do, it was to improve safety among truck drivers. Of course, it was also designed to prevent fleets and trucking companies from getting hit with errors in paper logbooks, but safety – in relation to hours of service – was also a big driver for the mandate.

Yet now, trucking companies and agriculture trucking companies in particular are saying that everyday consumers could see their grocery prices rise as a result of the new ELD mandate. But does this view bear fruit – pun intended?

Many truckers say the problem stems from the fact that truck drivers are experiencing problems as they switch from paper logbooks to ELD devices. With the ELD mandate designed to keep truck drivers honest about their time on the road, and thus make the roads safer overall, there are unintended consequences, as with any new rule or regulation.

Not Enough Distance

The ELD mandate results in inevitable delays, which means truck drivers simply aren’t covering as much distance or delivering as many loads as they used to. Whether it be in California or Arizona, when less produce is getting to the endpoint, while demand continues to increase, the laws of supply-and-demand create an environment ripe for price increases.

Before the ELD mandate, truck drivers recorded their hours manually. And while may of them did not intentionally falsify their hours, they did have greater flexibility in how those hours were recorded. As an example, if a truck driver was stuck in traffic, or sat behind a construction zone far longer than expected, they may not have recorded that as driving time.

Another example could be a truck driver who knew they were reaching the 11-hour driving limit, but decided to push it just a little longer in order to find a safe place to have a rest. Of course, by the letter of the law, these practices were not legal, but when using a paper log, truck drivers were able to balance road safety with business interest.

Compliance is still a necessary part of a truck driver’s job, and the ELD mandate ensures that, but unintended side effects do occur. As an example, one 12-store grocery chain in the Midwest has seen the cost of goods roughly double since the ELD mandate came into effect. While the company has, for the most part, been able to absorb the cost, items like bananas and lettuce have gone up by 20 percent.

Is it the Device’s Fault?

While trucking industry companies and advocacy organizations undertake studies to determine the safety efficacy of the ELD mandate, many are wondering where the new rules will take us. It appears, at least in the short term, it may be higher prices.

Fleets are concerned that truck drivers who are delayed may try to drive faster in order to make up for lost ground. Will this cause unneeded safety problems? Consider that the amount of time a truck driver can drive has not changed. What has changed is how that time is measured.

With some farms and agricultural providers stating that they are already seeing unintended consequences, prices in the grocery store may be going up. How will this translate into consumer sentiment, no one yet knows.

Gone are the days when truck drivers could “use their best judgement” to determine when it was safe to pull over, depending on road conditions. If prices for every day goods go up at an unsustainable rate, will we see a regulatory backlash against such measures?

A new law in Tennessee is addressing truck platooning, but some worry if the authorities have collected enough information to properly determine whether truck platooning increases safety. One way Tennessee authorities aim to address this is through placing a safety device on trucks that operate in platoons.

According to the Tennessee State Highway Patrol, they have lobbied the state legislature to place a light device to alert authorities when trucks are not platooning properly under the new law. It’s no secret that motor carriers have been experimenting with platooning to both increase fuel efficiency and over-the-road safety, yet, the method is still not entirely proven.

The way this works is by linking trucks together using radars and cameras. They follow at a set distance and draft behind one another. Cutting out wind resistance this way can result in cost savings for the motor carriers. Yet other say that this tactic puts profit above truck driver safety.

Those concerned about platooning point to potential obstacles or road hazards that could present themselves unexpectedly and endanger all the vehicles traveling in the platoon. If one of the truck must make a sudden movement because of a road hazard, will the other trucks in the platoon have enough time to respond.

Another concern lies in the fact that some worry platooning could lead to truck drivers driving in a more complacent manner. If they are steadily traveling behind other trucks at a specific rate of speed, it could become easier to succumb to fatigue or not pay attention as much as they otherwise would.

While the matter is still open for debate, states and regulators are moving ahead with their own efforts to manage platooning. How this will all shake out is anyone’s guess.

Australia Wants to Shock Their Truck Drivers

Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere, the New South Wales Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight has proposed that truck drivers who suffer from fatigue be given electric shocks. They believe that giving truck drivers who are falling asleep on the road a good jolt could significantly improve roadway safety.

Naturally, this has not made truck drivers very happy. Even though regulators state that the technology is extremely advanced and only shocks them when necessary, truckers wonder how much truth there is to that when they will get a jolt if they look away from the windshield for more than two seconds. This could mean they get a shock even when they are not fatigued. By simply glancing somewhere else in the truck, they could find themselves receiving an unwanted jolt.

Meanwhile, the union that represents truck drivers in Australia has come out strongly against the measure, stating that most truck-related accidents are not a result of fatigue, but are instead occurring due to unfair or unsafe working conditions. They also suggest that shocking truck drivers who aren’t fatigued could increase the chances of an accident if the truck driver ends up making a jerking movement while traveling at a high rate of speed.

Medical conditions could also be exacerbated by electric shocks. Still, the New South Wales Minister appears to be attempting to move ahead with the measure. She is positing that the proposal isn’t meant to anger truck drivers, but to begin a debate on available technologies designed to increase roadway safety for truck drivers and those operating on the roads around them.

Still, it is unclear whether the measure will pass, with nearly every trucking industry advocate and motor carrier in Australia lobbying heavily against it. Could we one day see a similar measure in the United States? Truckers hope not.

In 2017, the FMCSA decided to scrap several new rules and regulations set to go into effect governing safety initiatives. Yet, this year, they aren’t just ignoring safety. They have embarked on many tests and studies designed to figure out why truck fatalities on our nation’s roads are on the rise.

Today, we will look at the different safety tests and initiatives the FMCSA is undertaking to bring some clarity to the situation. With technology on the mind and the future approaching, they want to know if the trucking industry can remain safe in the face of near-constant change.

Testing Autonomous Technology

The first area the FMCSA is looking to test and come to a better conclusion on is that of autonomous trucking. The FMCSA believes that autonomous and semi-autonomous technologies may go a long way to significantly reducing crashes and injuries. With trucking accidents on the rise, the agency doesn’t seek to displace the truck driver, but rather bring a new level of safety to trucking through automation.

With autonomous and semi-autonomous trucking on everyone’s mind, a potential revolution is around the corner. Several studies underway in a few states are being implemented with the FMCSA’s implicit backing, including those in Ohio and Nevada.

Still, with autonomous truck driving now entering a critical evaluation phase, what’s next for the FMCSA when it comes to testing and evaluation?

Incremental Changes on the Horizon

While the FMCSA doesn’t plan to revisit many of the Obama administration’s trucking rules, they may make some minor adjustments to the rules currently in place. And while there won’t be a new safety rating system overhaul coming any time soon, the FMCSA is beginning a two-year-long study examining whether the safety measurement system (SMS) is doing what it was intended to do.

The FMCSA is also going to look at changes and ways to strengthen industry cybersecurity and increase adoption of certain safety technologies, from better braking systems to complementary technologies to increase the awareness of areas where truck drivers can both rest and take a break in case they are bumping up against their hours.

Still, these are merely tests, methods by which the agency can make better determinations regarding future rules. Since the Trump administration has embarked on a mission to remove lots of regulations, it is likely that these initiatives will remain in the testing phase until more concrete data can be discerned.

Is the Economy to Blame

One of the primary factors why comprehensive testing is required can be traced back to an improving economy. As the nation’s economic conditions have gotten better, more trucks are on the road, which itself can lead to more accidents. To determine if the problem is with the volume of trucks or something else, the FMCSA has embarked on these new testing regimes.

Evidence of a potential economic component can be seen in the fact that from 2006 to 2009, there was an overall decline in fatal accidents involving trucks. There could also be a correlation between the number of new truck drivers on the road and the increase in accidents.

Yet, as the federal government gets ready to take up a new debate surrounding state’s rights, infrastructure, and so much more, the trucking industry and related issues are going to come into more focus. Will safety be at the top of the minds of those making the regulatory decisions? The only way to find out is to see what 2018 brings. And we can promise we will be right here reporting on it for you.

In todays trucking safety blog, we want to look at the specific changes happening within the tanker manufacturing industry that specifically impact truck driver and passenger vehicle safety. There are many reasons why this is important. Consider that motor carriers today typically keep their tank trailers for a very long time. As a result, they want to get the most out of these expensive pieces of equipment.

Yet, getting the most bang for their buck isn’t the only thing truck tank manufacturers are focused on. Tanker safety is key. But why is a focus on this aspect of trucking so important? Consider that things change every year. Whether it be a new design on the upper coupler or new and improved landing gear, you must stay on top of what your vendors are designing.

Long life is important, but equally important is fuel efficiency and safety.

What Makes a Safe Tanker Design?

If there is one sector of trucking looking closest at tanker safety, it is the hazmat sector. While tanker fleets tend to look for the best technologies, they are also looking for the safest. While roll stability is the most obvious choice, there are tractor specs that also go a long way in improving a tanker’s safety profile. These include antilock and air disc brakes.

The greatest concern for a tanker lies in the roll over concern. While roll stability and a lower center of gravity help, roll stability control has increasingly become a popular option. For many tank manufacturers, roll stability now comes standard with the tanker.

Tanker fleets looking to further improve their safety measures are seeing client motor carriers increasingly ask for air disc breaks as a way to improve safety measures. While spec’ing advanced braking technology can present a bit of an upcharge in the beginning, these technologies generate big returns when it comes to safety in the long run.

Where lighting is concerned, active driver safety technologies like extra turn signals and high wattage mounted lights provide an answer. Motor carriers operating tankers in high numbers, from 400 on up, see increased safety benefits when they utilize these technologies.

Well-designed and aesthetically pleasing lighting systems also signal to potential clients that your fleet takes safety (and looking good) seriously. When a tanker is equipped with a bright LED that contains to filaments, shines brightly, and looks good, the motor carrier addresses several goals.

Addressing your Wheels

One aspect of tanker safety that is oft-overlooked is that of the tires carrying the tanker. Tankers are often quite heavy, which means most tanker fleets look to aluminum wheels and wide-base tires. Yet, sometimes this setup isn’t the most advantageous.

Many wide-base single tires utilize automatic tire inflation systems, which cause leakage concerns. Tankers require an utmost level of safety. While some wide-base tire manufacturers have come a long way in alleviating these concerns, they must still weigh them against tire wear, fuel economy, and inspection results.

Another area receiving greater focus is that of lift axle usage. Pneumatic tanks retrofitted with lift axles make sense because these operators don’t have a lot of backhauls, which results in greater safety, increased fuel economy, and greater truck driver satisfaction.

The most important part of increasing tanker safety lies in collaboration. Engineers and salespeople from both the manufacturing and fleet management realms must get together and help each other figure out the most effective ways to increase tanker safety. There are so many variables, which seem to change constantly, so ensuring you are on the right side of change ensures greater safety outcomes for your tanker fleet.

When a company relies on a fleet of vehicles to keep business flowing smoothly, safety is key. While keeping a close eye on every truck driver and every vehicle in a fleet – especially a large one – is nearly impossible, there are methods a fleet can use to improve their safety measures. One such […]

Any professional truck driver will tell you that you need a different set of skills for spring truck driving than you do for winter driving. But how many truck drivers actually know what these tips are? Not being able to tell the difference between a winter road and a spring road can be dangerous to […]

If there is one thing the ELD mandate was designed to do, it was to improve safety among truck drivers. Of course, it was also designed to prevent fleets and trucking companies from getting hit with errors in paper logbooks, but safety – in relation to hours of service – was also a big driver […]

A new law in Tennessee is addressing truck platooning, but some worry if the authorities have collected enough information to properly determine whether truck platooning increases safety. One way Tennessee authorities aim to address this is through placing a safety device on trucks that operate in platoons. According to the Tennessee State Highway Patrol, they […]

In 2017, the FMCSA decided to scrap several new rules and regulations set to go into effect governing safety initiatives. Yet, this year, they aren’t just ignoring safety. They have embarked on many tests and studies designed to figure out why truck fatalities on our nation’s roads are on the rise. Today, we will look […]

In todays trucking safety blog, we want to look at the specific changes happening within the tanker manufacturing industry that specifically impact truck driver and passenger vehicle safety. There are many reasons why this is important. Consider that motor carriers today typically keep their tank trailers for a very long time. As a result, they […]

Well trucking industry professionals, the day has come and gone, so how do you feel? Does the fact that the ELD mandate is real and right now change the way you do business? If not, it should. Whether we like it or not, living with the ELD mandate is now a part of everyday life […]

It’s never a bad time during a cold winter season to remind professional truck drivers about the dos and don’ts of safe driving. Operating a heavy-duty Class 8 commercial motor vehicle isn’t an easy task to begin with, but when you add in potentially unsafe weather conditions, it becomes a real problem. Are you taking […]

Every so often we like to update you on the latest changes coming out of Washington, especially where safety is concerned. No matter who makes what change – we take no sides – it is important to report on it and keep you, our loyal readers, up-to-date. Part of your latest update from Washington comes […]

Have you heard? The FMCSA has come out stating that they believe “excessive commuting” by truck drivers may be a problem and they are seeking public comment on the matter. They also plan on surveying commercial truck and bus drivers to see what their commuting habits are. But what is excessive commuting? According to the […]